Sixty percent of Zambia’s 13.2 million people (2010) live in poverty. Inequality is very high and on current trends it will take until 2073 to reduce poverty to 15%. Weak transmission of Zambia’s strong growth to poverty is the central challenge. FCDO’s programme includes improving the Government of Zambia’s policies, systems and skills, enabling Zambia to increase its tax take and use its resources to deliver better services. FCDO also works to directly address the most off track MDGs, including extreme poverty, gender, maternal mortality, sanitation and hygiene. FCDO is also developing a programme to remove the barriers to wealth creation and investment, to create a sustainable future beyond aid. FCDO is working with the government and other donors to empower girls and women, in order to make growth more inclusive and tackle inequality. FCDO is replacing general budget support with sector budget support for education and targeted financial aid.

Top priorities

• addressing the most off track MDGs
• removing barriers to economic development
• improving the position of poor women and girls

Further resources

FCDO Operational Plan for Zambia
Zambia page on GOV.UK website

Note: Many country summaries were written prior to the creation of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and are being incrementally refreshed.